China's cold-chain logistics sector posts growth in new-energy vehicles, inter-modal transport

China's cold-chain logistics industry reported robust growth in the first half of this year, with electric vehicle sales booming and rail-road combined transport gaining momentum.

At a final assembly workshop for new energy refrigerated trucks in central China's Henan Province, there will be a new vehicle rolling off the production line in every nine minutes or less.

"The market has been thriving since the start of this year, and our workshop has also experienced explosive growth in output, an increase of 316 percent compared with last year," said Yang Xiaoyu, director of the Manufacturing Management Department of Yutong Light Trucks Co., Ltd., a Zhengzhou-headquartered subsidiary of leading Chinese bus maker Yuton Group.

In March, the State Council, or the Cabinet, released an action plan for large-scale equipment renewal and consumer goods trade-ins, ordering measures to promote green upgrading of transportation vehicles such as refrigerated trucks. On July 31, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Finance issued a notice on the renewal of old and used trucks and announced policies to subsidize the renewal program.

The policy support has further stimulated market demand. In the first half of this year, 4,803 new-energy refrigerated trucks were sold nationwide, up over 290 percent year on year.

"We are provided with a subsidy of 35,000 yuan (about 4,915 U.S. dollars) for buying each new energy refrigerated truck, which further reduces our vehicle purchase costs. The company plans to buy nearly 150 more refrigerated trucks in the second half of the year," said Wei Yong, general manager of Henan Shenmu Supply Chain Management Company.

Meanwhile, the railway-highway combined transport business is expanding, facilitating the imports of fresh meat and fruit.

Recently, a refrigerated train carrying imported chicken and beef products arrived at Chengdu International Railway Port in southwest China's Sichuan Province. Now every week there is a cold-chain freight train pulling into the port.

"Since the resumption of the cold chain import business in May last year, the Chengdu International Railway Port has opened cold-chain transport routes to Europe, Laos, Vietnam and other destinations," said Chen Zengyu, business manager at the Operation and Development Department of Chengdu International Railway Port Investment and Development Company.

Apart from European meat products, more and more fresh fruits from Southeast Asian countries are imported into China via sea-rail combined logistics. The Nanchang International Land Port in east China's Jiangxi Province opened its first sea-rail combined transport route in July, improving the transportation efficiency by nearly 30 percent.

China's cold-chain logistics sector posts growth in new-energy vehicles, inter-modal transport

China's cold-chain logistics sector posts growth in new-energy vehicles, inter-modal transport

China's cold-chain logistics sector posts growth in new-energy vehicles, inter-modal transport

The 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum opened in Beijing on Friday morning with hotspots around the world and security cooperation taking the center stage.

The opening ceremony was attended by more than 600 official representatives from over 100 countries and international organizations, including nearly 300 heads of official delegations and officials from various countries. The forum is held with the theme of "Promoting Peace for a shared future".

China's Defense Minister Dong Jun attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. He first read out a congratulatory letter from President Xi Jinping to the forum. Then, he mentioned in his speech the current hot issues including the Ukrainian crisis and the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict.

Dong said "there is no winner in a war and a conflict, and there is no way out if we just confront each other." He also stressed that promoting peace talks is the only way out, and the fundamental way out.

Two plenary sessions were held after the opening ceremony. At the first session, participants exchanged views on "security cooperation and prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific region", and official representatives from Vietnam, Singapore, Pakistan, Fiji, Russia and Malaysia spoke at the meeting.

The theme of the second plenary session was "multipolarization and the direction of international order", and defense ministers or military generals from six countries including Cambodia, Tanzania, Cameroon and Iran delivered speeches.

The topics all focus on security hotspots. Participants include not only developing and developed countries, but also representatives, experts and scholars from the closely-watched countries such as the United States, Russia, and Ukraine.

In interviews, many participants said that the Beijing Xiangshan Forum is committed to promoting dialog, exchanges and cooperation among defense agencies, militaries and international organizations of various countries, and is playing an active role in promoting regional security and stability and maintaining world peace and development.

The ongoing Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which runs until Saturday, will also hold eight parallel group sessions, focusing on themes such as the correct way for China and the United States to get along, European security trends and Middle East peace vision. This year, a new session on outer space security has been set up for participants to jointly discuss issues on outer space security governance.

Initiated in 2006, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum is a high-level security and defense forum in the Asia-Pacific with significant international influence.

11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum opens with focus on hotspots, security cooperation